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PTAC Recommendations

I have a 1br condo in Washington, DC. It has two GE PTACs, both of which I replaced only a few years ago with GE 5800's. I had hoped when I replaced them that the new units would have been quieter. Unfortunately that has not been the case. They are much noisier than many regular AC window units. They gurgle and process long after the fan's gone off (during heat phase), and now it seems when they get really going, the cowling on the fan collapses around the fan blades and makes a racket.

So the question is who makes a reliable, QUIET, efficient PTAC that will fit into the space of a GE sleeve opening? It's DC, so I need one that has both heat pump modes as well as resistance heat. It also needs to be able to be connected to a remote thermostat as the units are mounted high in the room, i.e., close to the ceiling, and they need to be able to be hardwired.

The quietest I've heard is the GE, now 6100 series. I stayed at a new motel with a LG unit, close but more fan noise than GE. Also stayed in a new motel with a new 2 motor Amana. When the compressor came on, very noisy and rattled. Also stayed at a joint with a new Gree. Worse than Amana! Only one I can't tell you about is McQuay. Some of them are made for million dollar NY apartments so could be quieter. Won't be cheap though!

The quietest I've heard is the GE, now 6100 series. I stayed at a new motel with a LG unit, close but more fan noise than GE. Also stayed in a new motel with a new 2 motor Amana. When the compressor came on, very noisy and rattled. Also stayed at a joint with a new Gree. Worse than Amana! Only one I can't tell you about is McQuay. Some of them are made for million dollar NY apartments so could be quieter. Won't be cheap though!

The Amanas I've heard were all quieter than the zonelines and I'm a sound engineer. Not familiar with the McQuay, how's their reliability?

Is it typical of all PTACs w/resistant heating to have a long processing phase (I have no idea what to call it) where the compressor is running, but not the fan, and there seems to be a lot of fluid noise?

The quietest PTAC I've installed is an LG. If you read the attach brochure, the inside sound levels are around 40-45 decibels (db). Out of the few that I've installed they seem to be decent quality and I have never ran a service call to one.

As far the fluid sound your hearing, it may be equalizing pressure. That can sometimes take a long time depending on the ambient temp. If you think it is something to be concerned about, call a local contractor and have them check it out.

Couple of additional questions. Loonie, you're a GE fan, and other than my poor experience with the 5800's, my previous units were reliable. The 6100 series features the same tangential fan that the McQuay and LG's have. My question is there much of a difference between the sound levels of the 6100 over the 5800? Much of the noise I notice is the gurgling I mentioned before, as well as compressor noise. The 5800 and the 6100 both feature rotary compressors, has there been any reduction in compressor noise in the update? I notice probably as much general noise from the compressor as I do from the fan. I have to boost the TV when the unit is on because it overwhelms basic dialog. Why is it that it seems that a friend's 18000btu regular window air conditioner is quieter than my PTAC's?

Brent, you mention the LG's, however Consumers list them amongst the higher repair cycle than other appliance brands, generally (they do not rate PTAC's).

I haven't had any complaints from customers about refrigeration noise from the GEs. I stayed at a motel with a new Gree unit last spring, that refrigeration system growled and moaned after the compressor shut off. Stayed at a place with a new LG unit. Compressor noise was very low but the blower inside seemed a bit more noticable than the 6100. Nothing offensive. Unscientific I know. I would think the 5800 and 6100 would sound the same, I'm thinking only diff is the refrigerant.

Any friends in your complex that have bought another brand recently you could go hear?

I just started working at a apartment complex that has Amana ptac's all the same model. The are cooling only they have a hot water coil for heat above the ptac. The story I've got about these units is that they last 4-5 years max.